The Philippines is objectively an awful place. Just open your eyes! That is why this blog exists and why this series exists. Last time No Kidding looked at a few very obvious articles. This time it's election season.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1245447 |
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is encouraging national and local candidates in the May 12 midterm elections to sign peace covenants to have a fair and peaceful campaign season.
“We continue to encourage all candidates and the local Comelec is also trying to discuss issues before the Department of Education, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines with all candidates so that the campaigning will be fair, the elections will be orderly, and our countrymen will be able to go out and vote freely, and have the assurance of returning home safely after the elections,” Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing Wednesday.
At the same time, the poll body official reported 38 places categorized as areas of concern, the majority of which are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“There are 38 that remain in the red category -- 32 in the BARMM and six scattered in Luzon and Visayas. We predict that these figures may change,” he said.
Under Comelec's classification of election hot spots, areas under the red category are considered in a critical situation while those under orange have confirmed “presence of armed groups and organized movements outside the law.”
Villages under the yellow category are identified based on their "history of political unrest.”
“In all areas, at present, there are no areas that should be placed under Comelec Control. There is no reason yet,” Laudiangco added.
If the area has been declared under Comelec Control, the poll body shall have full administrative supervision of the local government unit.
The Philippines should have fair and orderly elections? Voters should be assured of being able to return home safely?
NO KIDDING!
But in the Philippines election season is very violent. Private armies enforce the rule of the local clans. Politicians are assassinated, which is a frequent occurrence to be fair. And generally speaking chaos ensues. The people are not even allowed to drink beer on Election Day. For five months there are checkpoints to stop people who are carrying unauthorized weapons! So far 1,413 people have been apprehended.
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| https://www.inquirer.net/431411/pnp-1413-election-gun-ban-violators-arrested-so-far/ |
Authorities have so far arrested 1,413 individuals for skirting the ban on firearms during the 2025 election period as of March 4, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced.
Data released by the PNP on Wednesday showed 1,349 of those arrested were civilians, while the rest were the following:
- 27 security guards
- Nine PNP personnel
- Seven Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel
- Six personnel of other law enforcement agencies
- Six foreigners
- Three children in conflict with the law
- Three elected government officials
- Two appointed government officials
- One Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary personnel
Of the nine PNP personnel arrested, seven are active, one is under suspension and one is on absence without official leaven status.
According to the PNP, 635 of the violators were arrested in police response operations, 226 in anti-illegal drugs operations, 139 in checkpoint operations, 84 in gun buy-bust operations and 329 in other law enforcement operations.
The National Capital Region still had the most arrests at 446, followed by Central Luzon (216) and Central Visayas (191).
The arrests yielded 1,488 firearms confiscated, which are the following:
- 578 revolvers
- 427 pistols
- 66 replica guns
- 50 explosives
- 42 Class A firearms
- 16 shotguns
- 14 rifles
- Two Class B firearms
- 293 other types of firearms
The number of validated election-related incidents (ERIs) meantime, remained at eight as of March 4, according to the PNP.
Three “violent” validated ERIs were recorded in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and one each in the Ilocos Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Soccsksargen.
Two “non-violent” validated ERIs were logged in Western Visayas.
How many more have not been caught? What this really reveals is how violent the nation is that everyone has to be packing heat. A week later and it's up to 1,563 fire arms having been apprehended.
Maybe there should be checkpoints every single day of the year to stop the violence. But that would further show how messed up the Philippines is!
